Insurrection: Book 3 of Warner's World Read online

  INSURRECTION

  Book 3 of Warner’s World

  DAVE O’CONNOR

  Version 0.5

  WARP DRIVE PUBLISHING

  Cover –Courtesy of NASA - earth-seen-from-international-space

  Published by Panther Games Pty Ltd trading as Warp Drive Publishing

  ABN66 008 609 541

  3 Valli St Chapman ACT 2611, Australia

  Copyright © Dave O’Connor 2016. All rights reserved.

  The moral right of the author has been asserted.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

  This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

  All characters and events in this publication, other than those clearly in the public domain, are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental.

  For Sean – the most affable fellow I know.

  Contents

  Prologue In warp to Polaris 2330 hours, 16 April 2513

  Part 1 Bliss

  Chapter 1. Nova Vista 1800, 21 April 2513.

  Chapter 2. Nova Vista 1930, 21 April

  Chapter 3. Nova Vista 2200, 21 April

  Chapter 4. Nova Vista 0610, 22 April

  Chapter 5. Nova Vista 0720, 22 April

  Chapter 6. Nova Vista 1430, 22 April

  Chapter 7. Nova Vista 0930, 23 April

  Chapter 8. Nova Vista 0820, 25 April

  Chapter 9. Nova Vista 1530, 26 April

  Chapter 10. Nova Vista 1800, 26 April

  Chapter 11. Nova Vista 0730, 27 April

  Chapter 12. Nova Vista 1430, 27 April

  Chapter 13. Terra Fuaga 0710, 4 May

  Chapter 14. Terra Fuaga 1940, 10 May

  Part 2 Recall

  Chapter 1. Terra Fuaga 0615, 11 May

  Chapter 2. Nova Vista 0630, 11 May

  Chapter 3. Nova Vista 2130, 11 May

  Chapter 4. Nova Vista 0900, 12 May

  Chapter 5. Tumos 1400, 12 May

  Chapter 6. Resolute 1610, 12 May

  Chapter 7. Butros Alia 1830, 12 May

  Chapter 8. Butros Alia 2100, 12 May

  Chapter 9. Resolute at Butros Alia 2230, 12 May

  Chapter 10. Butros Alia 0830, 13 May

  Chapter 11. Resolute in warp to Klaster 1100, 13 May

  Chapter 12. Resolute in warp to Klaster 1200, 13 May

  Chapter 13. Resolute in warp to Klaster 1300, 13 May

  Chapter 14. Resolute in warp to Klaster 1500, 13 May

  Chapter 15. Resolute in warp to Klaster 1545, 13 May

  Chapter 16. Resolute in warp to Klaster 1600, 13 May

  Chapter 17. Resolute in warp to Klaster 1700, 13 May

  Chapter 18. Resolute in warp to Klaster 1800, 13 May

  Chapter 19. Resolute in warp to Klaster 2200, 13 May

  Chapter 20. Resolute in warp to Klaster 0210, 14 May

  Chapter 21. Resolute in warp to Klaster 0800, 14 May

  Chapter 22. Resolute in warp to Klaster 2235, 14 May

  Part 3 Into Battle

  Chapter 1. Resolute over Klaster 0910, 20 May

  Chapter 2. Resolute over Klaster 1230, 20 May

  Chapter 3. Resolute over Klaster 1500, 20 May

  Chapter 4. Resolute in warp to Beta Phi 2300, 20 May

  Chapter 5. Resolute in warp to Beta Phi 2400, 20 May

  Chapter 6. Resolute in warp to Beta Phi 1700, 21 May

  Chapter 7. Resolute in warp to Beta Phi 1845, 21 May

  Chapter 8. Resolute over Beta Phi 0200, 22 May

  Chapter 9. Niku 0210, 22 May

  Chapter 10. Resolute over Beta Phi 0215, 22 May

  Chapter 11. Niku 0250, 22 May

  Chapter 12. Resolute over Beta Phi 0315, 22 May

  Chapter 13. Niku 0330, 22 May

  Chapter 14. Resolute over Beta Phi 0345, 22 May

  Chapter 15. Resolute over Beta Phi 0430, 22 May

  Chapter 16. Niku 0445, 22 May

  Chapter 17. Resolute over Beta Phi 0505, 22 May

  Chapter 18. Niku 0520, 22 May

  Chapter 19. Niku 0530, 22 May

  Chapter 20. Resolute over Beta Phi 0600, 22 May

  Chapter 21. Niku 0605, 22 May

  Chapter 22. Resolute over Beta Phi 0610, 22 May

  Part 4 Dirty Deeds

  Chapter 1. Niku 0630, 22 May

  Chapter 2. Resolute in warp to Klaster 0645, 22 May

  Chapter 3. Niku 0740, 22 May

  Chapter 4. Niku 0840, 22 May

  Chapter 5. Niku 0930, 22 May

  Chapter 6. Niku 1015, 22 May

  Chapter 7. Niku 1100, 22 May

  Chapter 8. Resolute in warp to Klaster 1210, 22 May

  Chapter 9. Niku 1215, 22 May

  Chapter 10. Niku 1300, 22 May

  Chapter 11. Resolute in warp to Klaster 1410, 22 May

  Chapter 12. Niku 1529, 22 May

  Chapter 13. Niku 1600, 22 May

  Chapter 14. Niku 1615, 22 May

  Chapter 15. Niku 1800, 22 May

  Chapter 16. Resolute in warp to Klaster 1830, 22 May

  Part 5 Pursuit

  Chapter 1. Niku 0200, 23 May

  Chapter 2. Resolute over Klaster 0400, 23 May

  Chapter 3. Niku 0430, 23 May

  Chapter 4. Resolute in warp to Beta Phi 0520

  Chapter 5. Assam 0540, 23 May

  Chapter 6. Niku 0550, 23 May

  Chapter 7. Assam 0620, 23 May

  Chapter 8. Niku 0830, 23 May

  Chapter 9. Assam 1100, 23 May

  Chapter 10. Niku 1150, 23 May

  Chapter 11. Niku 1500, 23 May

  Chapter 12. Assam 1600, 23 May

  Chapter 13. Resolute 2100, 23 May

  Chapter 14. Resolute 0255, 24 May

  Chapter 15. Niku 0330, 24 May

  Chapter 16. Resolute 0355, 24 May

  Chapter 17. IRS Kunter 0505, 24 May

  Chapter 18. Assam 0610, 24 May

  Chapter 19. Klaster 0710, 24 May

  Chapter 20. Nova Vista 0830, 24 May

  Chapter 21. Resolute over Alpha Phi 1015, 24 May

  Chapter 22. Assam 1430, 24 May

  Chapter 23. Niku 1600, 24 May

  Part 6 Conflagration

  Chapter 1. Klaster 1900, 24 May

  Chapter 2. Resolute over Beta Phi 2015, 24 May

  Chapter 3. Whisky 1 over Beta Phi 2050, 24 May

  Chapter 4. Resolute 2110, 24 May

  Chapter 5. Assam 2200, 24 May

  Chapter 6. Resolute 2350, 24 May

  Chapter 7. Assam 0001, 25 May

  Chapter 8. Lima Bravo 2 over Beta Phi 0020, 25 Mar

  Chapter 9. Assam 0040, 25 May

  Chapter 10. Resolute 0100, 25 May

  Chapter 11. Assam 0130, 25 May

  Chapter 12. Assam 0300, 25 May

  Chapter 13. Resolute 0302, 25 May

  Chapter 14. Resolute 0700, 25 May

  Chapter 15. IRS Kunter in warp 0915, 25 May

  Chapter 16. Resolute 0920, 25 May

  Chapter 17. Assam 0930, 25 May

  Chapter 18. Resolute 0930, 25 May

  Chapter 19. Assam 0955, 25 May

  Chapter 20. Resolute 1010, 25 May

  Chapter 21. Assam 1200, 25 May

  Chapter 22. Niku 1300, 25 May

  Befo
re You Go

  Acknowledgements

  Book 4 of Warner’s World

  Warnerpedia

  Part 1 Aftermath

  Chapter 1. Resolute over Assam 1400, 25 May 2513

  Chapter 2. Resolute over Assam 1530, 25 May

  Chapter 3. Resolute over Assam 1800, 25 May

  Chapter 4. Assam 1830, 25 May

  Chapter 5. Resolute over Assam 2040, 25 May

  Chapter 6. Resolute in warp to Polaris 2215, 25 May

  Chapter 7. Resolute in warp to Polaris 0230, 26 May

  Chapter 8. Resolute in warp to Polaris 1230, 26 May

  Prologue In warp to Polaris 2330 hours, 16 April 2513

  Commander Rihan Kabel of the Federation Fleet was in full recline on her chair aboard the interstellar shuttle. Her fiancé lay asleep beside her. She had just woken up from a dream, a bad dream. A dream no mother ever wants. But then Rihan was not a mother anymore.

  Technically she never was for until your baby is born you can’t lay claim to that title. But in her heart she had been and she wondered now if she ever would again.

  She closed her green eyes and if her fiancé, Captain Dave Warner, had seen them he would have said ‘how serene’. But he would have been wrong.

  She drifted off and was back there again – back in Shangri-La on Klaster, back in the place where she had first made love to Dave, where he had first professed his love, where they had first conceived and where they had been so happy, so happy until…

  ‘That bloody klaxon, such an annoying sound’ she thought. ‘Go away.’ “Oh shit!” Her hand found the communicator by her bed. “Yes what is it?”

  “Maam…this is Liz” said her deputy, LCmd Liz Adair. “We’re under attack. You need to evacuate down to the mine right now. Do you understand you must go RIGHT now? I will hold the blast doors open for five minutes.”

  “Right, Liz…I’m on my way.”

  But no matter how much she willed it the buggy, with its big wheels almost careening off the road at 200kph, could not go faster. And there it was again that great big pulse of light in the night sky over that desolate asteroid.

  “Shit nukes.”

  Part of her mind just witnessed these events unfold but another part, her emotional subconscious, screamed ‘NO!’ as more pulses of light lit up that night sky in the outer belt. It would not be long before the enemy ships broke through the defensive screen and would be in range of the base. She braked hard to prevent the buggy rolling at the last turn to the mine entrance.

  Somehow she averted disaster, gunned the engines and charged into the mine. The guard….there he is yes yelling at me to “GO!” The inner doors were closing, her chest pumping and her foot hard down on the accelerator, too hard to take the turn into the dock. Over and over and over. Nothing.

  ‘Oh the pain, the pain…and then the realisation…my baby’s gone…more pain…different…worse…hollow…gutted.’

  “WHY?”

  Part 1

  Bliss

  Bliss comes a while or not at all

  Rest here a time before we fall

  Back into the night from whence we came

  Reclaim the dawn and live again

  Rapture and ecstasy abide

  So long as I am by your side

  Kiss me tender while I am here

  To love’s laughter hold me near

  Caress and pamper, my body is yours

  When I feel your touch my joy soars

  Chapter 1. Nova Vista 1800, 21 April 2513.

  “I did like this suite” said Captain Dave Warner as he opened the door to their apartment on the 41st floor of the Nelson Towers - their home on Polaris that they had last seen a year ago. One of his square shaped hands gripped the trolley while the other handled the door.

  Dave was a well-built man a little above average height with thick dark hair and what his fiancé liked to call a ruggedly handsome face, though there were lines appearing on it now which put him out of the ‘young guns’ category.

  He looked at his fiancé, Commander Rihan Kabel. Her fair face caught the reflection of the setting sun as it hit the mirror on the wall of the entrance. It cast a warm glow on her cheek. But it was her inner glow that Dave appreciated.

  From Dave’s perspective she was a beauty to behold. The soft curls of her light auburn hair sat lightly on her bare shoulders. He loved the dress she was wearing. It accentuated her graceful curves.

  He engaged the door hold and let Rihan walk in while he manoeuvred the trolley with their gear. He looked at the one bit of luggage on the trolley that was his and that was a recent acquisition after the loss of his frigate Hermes, his previous command. ‘Not much to show for 15 years’ service in the Federation Fleet’ he thought.

  Rihan went straight to the bathroom and ran the taps for a spa. Dave sank down into the big armchair and stared out into the sunset. A shuttle was taking off from the Fleet base a few kilometres away. The sunlight played across its frame as it rose higher and higher reflecting with dazzling effect. He raised his hand to shade his eyes and recalled a similar experience not long ago inside one of the Chicago’s escape pods as the cruiser exploded nearby - though then he was not in awe but terrified.

  ‘I’d only been in charge a few hours’ he thought. He dismissed the thought and reminded himself that ‘what matters is we had won that battle.’

  He closed his eyes and laid his head back on the comfy lounge chair. ‘But at such cost’ he thought. He could still hear his executive officer (XO), LCmd Aubrey Bellard, telling him they had lost 85 marines taking the rogan capital ship, the Drakush. ‘And that was my redemption?’ he asked himself. ‘Redemption for my sins.’

  ‘Stop it Dave’ he admonished himself. ‘A new command awaits. A new challenge lies ahead’. He could hear Admiral Phil Yomoto’s words the first time he explained what his new mission would be. ‘The rogan empire is too big Dave and their fleets too powerful for us to face them alone. We must weaken this foe from within. Sow the seeds of insurrection Dave. Unite the resistance. Then be the marauder, create as much havoc and mayhem within the rogan empire as you possible can. Two years is what I ask. Two years.’

  ‘And that was the rub, wasn’t it. A two year mission into the adjacent spiral arm of the galaxy no less. And the sweetener to make it palatable was that Rihan could accompany me – special dispensation from Fleet regs.’

  “I need my feet rubbed” called out Rihan.

  Dave smiled. He rose from the chair and pulled his polo shirt up and over his head, tossing it back onto the lounge. “Duty calls” he said.

  Chapter 2. Nova Vista 1930, 21 April

  “Welcome back Captain” said Tony Sparetti, the owner of Renata’s restaurant in downtown Nova Vista. He had a big warm smile on his roman face, which had seen more summers than he cared to let on. His white shirt hung a little loose over his waist, the product of too many indulgences. “And welcome to you my Dear Commander” he added as he led them to their table.

  “Your exploits are the talk of the town, you know” he said as he poured the water from the pitcher into their glasses.

  “Tony, enough of the formalities” said Dave “We’ll always be Dave and Rihan to you.”

  “Of course” said Tony and gave another of his broad smiles. He then lowered his head and in a conspiratorial whisper said “I hear from your uncle Max that you are getting married. Is this true?” Turning to Rihan he added “Tell me it’s true.” He smiled warmly.

  Rihan nodded and Tony’s face beamed. “Yes!” he said a little louder. He stood back upright. “You must have champagne.” He raised the forefinger on his left hand and gave it a little shake. “My shout.” He turned to one of his waiters and with a wave he beckoned him to bring the champagne forward.

  The champagne was poured as Tony explained the specials on tonight’s menu. “I will leave you now and be back in a while to take your order. I am so happy.” He smiled once more and returned to his duties.

  Rihan took a sip. “You
know that Uncle Max of yours hasn’t wasted any time.”

  “No doesn’t look like it” said Dave with a smile. “We’ll find out the full extent tomorrow.”

  “So apart from Max, his wife and your two cousins you don’t have any other relatives who can make the wedding?”

  “Doesn’t look that way. There’s a war on you know. Poor old Brennon said he would try but he can’t guarantee it.”

  “Are you younger or older than Brennon?”

  “He’s the young bro and that makes me the mean older one” said Dave with a wicked smile.

  “So what does he do exactly?”

  “He’s a public servant. Used to be in the Nova Vista public works department but he shone too brightly, so they made him administrator at some new development at a location he can’t tell anyone. All hush-hush apparently.”

  “Is he married?”

  “Divorced…and we don’t mention it.”

  “Right” said Rihan. “Kids?”

  “One still alive. Her name’s Kim. She lives with her mum back on Earth.”

  “What, so they lost a child?”

  “Yeah, Thomas died in a car accident when he was just five. Brennon was driving and his wife never forgave him.”

  “Gee that’s tough.”

  Dave nodded. “That one mistake cost him his entire family. So he threw himself into his work. But hey” said Dave as he raised his eyebrows and smiled “if his older bro can find himself a wonderful new woman I reckon there’s hope for him yet.”

  “And you’re going to tell him that aren’t you?”

  “You bet I am.”

  Tony came over. “Are you ready to order?”

  “Sure Tony and this champagne is very nice indeed” said Rihan.

  “It’s the real McCoy imported from France. Only the best for you, my friends.” Tony looked genuinely pleased that the wine was appreciated.

  “Is there any more?”

  Once again Tony bent forward and said quietly “Yes but only for special guests.”

  “What about for our wedding reception?”

  “You wish to hold it here?”

  “Where else!”

  Tony gave another big smile. “How many people?”